Unpaid Internships Are Exploitation In Disguise? Here’s How You Can Turn Them Into Opportunity

Companies demanding experienced candidates is nothing new. But then what will the freshers do? If you are a  fresh graduate interested in working in the US or Canada how can you catch the eyes of topmost recruiters abroad?  As a matter of fact, networking and good grades at the academic level do help some get good jobs internationally. But on average, there are other ways that you need to check out for fulfilling your dreams. Doing an unpaid internship is one such way that can indeed turn out to be an opportunity. Of course, in some cases, there have been complaints about exploitation. But more often, the experience you gain through unpaid internships in a way can contribute towards propelling your career effectively.

What Can You Gain Through Unpaid Internships?

It is indeed very difficult to be an international student today. Right from taking out time for the studies while you do part-time work to paying your rents, loans, and meals, things are a lot complicated than they seem. Moreover, the competition is quite stiff. So students who could not be a part of the tertiary education system due to socio-economic reasons face distinct disadvantages. For such people, unpaid internships can be a boon. Employers who are not eager to hire inexperienced applicants, more often are ready to welcome them as unpaid internships.

And for the interns, it is an opportunity to explore career paths and gain valuable work experience. Irrespective of where you have studied, you can gain experience only when you work as an employee. And it is this experience that is ultimately going to count when recruiters interview you. Unpaid internships offer you the chance to apply what you learned during your graduation or PG. It gives you the option to see how good you are at implementing what you learned.

Simultaneously, during unpaid internships, freshers get to learn many other features that can never be taught in any university classroom. These include communication, working as a team, and similar transferable skills.

Choosing The Right Career Path

The college experience is quite different from the actual fieldwork. Internships help you to acquaint yourself with the various traits of your field, how actually things work. Many times during college some students are interested in a particular area of work. However, when they actually start working at times such students change their minds. So unpaid internships serve as an eye-opener for those who want to choose the right path. Importantly, the students receive proper guidance during the internship which also helps them to make the right decision. Additionally, at the end of the internship, every student comes out more confident and mature.

For fresher gaining experience, a certificate can serve as a big boost to his career. However, to ensure that you are not exploited during unpaid internships, accept the offer after a thorough discussion. Do not jump immediately when you get the offer.  It is advisable to take an internship in companies that have a good track record. Recommendations from your seniors can be a good place to start with.

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Sangati Jogwar

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